Hana Yori Dango: Reversed Roles
by Rokudaime Kunoichi
Summary: When Tsukasa was four, the Doumyouji family's fortune was lost. Now, his family's in the middle class and he goes to Eitoku. Tsukasa despises rich people and he despises the F4, a group of four girls who want to help the poor. Full summary inside. TxT. RR
1. Chapter One: The Beginning

**Summary**: The roles in the Hana Yori Dango universe are switched. When Tsukasa was four, the Doumyouji family's fortune was lost. Now, his family's in the middle class and he goes to Eitoku. Tsukasa despises rich people and he despises the F4, a group of four girls who want to help the poor. What happens when he, Rui, Akira, and Soujirou become friends with them? Will his mother still get in the way of his relationship with Tsukushi? Will the secrets both of their families are hiding rip their blossoming relationship apart?

**Warnings**: AU, Language, etc.

**Disclaimer**: The Hana Yori Dango universe belongs to Yoko Kamio. No copyright/trademark infringement is intended and no profit is being made from the writing of this story.

Hana Yori Dango: Reversed Roles  
By Rokudaime Kunoichi

Chapter One - The Beginning

Doumyouji Tsukasa scowled and angrily stormed up to the sides of his best friends. He crossed his arms and his nostrils flared as he gazed at the student body of Eitoku Academy. They were all so pathetic, showing off their money and accessories in hopes of upping their popularity and status one minute and acting differently whenever the F4 was in the vicinity. He watched in poorly concealed disgust as the male population sighed dreamily when the F4 showed up. The F4 made him sick; they were a small group that consisted of four rich girls who were into _helping out the poor_ and _doing community service_. Tsukasa's scowl deepened; all rich people were the same. They acted differently when they were in front of cameras, but in private they were all the same stuck-up douches. The likelihood of the F4 being any different was slim to zero. Tsukasa's eyes narrowed as he took a look at the four girls. Grudgingly, he admitted to himself that they weren't bad looking.

Ookawahara Shigeru had brown hair that didn't reach her ears and brown eyes. She was a very enthusiastic girl and was always laughing and talking with the other members of the F4. Tsukasa remembered a long time ago when she was his fiancée. That was before the Doumyouji family lost their entire fortune and was put in the working class. As soon as that had happened, all because of a bad business move, the Ookawahara withdrew their offer of Shigeru's hand in marriage. Tsukasa doubted she even remembered; at the time, he was only four and she three. Heck, the only reason why _he_ even knew about it was because the elderly, loyal maid Tama had told him. Tsukasa had the sneaky suspicion that one of his best friends, Mimasaka Akira, had the teensiest crush on her.

Todou Shizuka had beautiful wavy brown hair and a gorgeous face. When she was only in her pre-teens, she started modeling and instantly became famous all around the world. She left Japan before starting Eitoku Academy to continue studying abroad in France. There, at the age of seventeen, she was crowned 'Miss Teen France' and had only just returned to enter Eitoku for her final year of schooling. Absentmindedly, Tsukasa could see why one of his best friends, Hanazawa Rui, fell in love with her poster upon spotting it immediately.

Matsuoka Yuuki was a brunette with a baby face. Most rich girls focused on looking sexy, but Yuuki couldn't even if her life depended on it. She was just too cute and seemed to radiate a child-like innocence that seemed to naturally draw people to her. Tsukasa noticed another one of his best friends, Nishikado Soujirou, seemed to smile a little more whenever she was in the vicinity and internally groaned; it wouldn't do if his best friends were all going to fall in love with the F4.

"Hey Tsukasa, what's with the long face?" Akira asked, laughing. All of Tsukasa's friends, while not as filthy rich as they had been, still had lots of money. Their families had followed Doumyouji blindly, thinking his father would increase their fortunes. One wrong move and everything fell apart, although the others were able to save over half of their fortunes and cut their business ties with his father. After that, his father fell ill and was constantly in the hospital. Thanks to the combined efforts of Tsukasa, his mother, and his sister, they were able to not only pay the hospital bills and their living expenses, but were also able to have money on the side.

"I hate the F4," Tsukasa grunted. "They're so fake; as if they would _really_ care about the poor."

"You never know," Soujirou said as he grinned. "Matsuoka isn't bad looking."

"Yeah, and Rui is head over heels about Todou," Akira teased, watching the teen in question turn slightly pink before returning to his pale complexion and looking away.

"And maybe you'll end up falling for Makino," Soujirou said, ducking Tsukasa's fist that came flying towards head.

"YEAH AND HELL WOULD FREEZE OVER!" Tsukasa yelled in disgust, ignoring the way the student population stared at him. They could think whatever the hell they wanted to; he could care less what their _prestige_ opinion was. They could shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

"Alright, alright! Geez, you'd think it was a bad thing," Soujirou said affronted.

"IT IS!"

"You know, Makino sure doesn't look like most rich girls but she's definitely not too hard on the eyes," Akira said thoughtfully. "If only she were ten years older."

"Easy on the eyes? Not that weed! She's uglier than a pitbull. I don't get why so many people look up to her; she's probably a nasty bitch when she's not in public!"

"You shouldn't make such incredulous accusations," Rui said quietly, looking at Tsukasa out of the corner of his eye. "You never know who might be listening."

The other three stared at their quiet friend for a full minute before shrugging and getting back to the topic at hand. "You know what, Tsukasa? I bet you fall for Makino before the school year ends," Akira said confidently, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"No way! I bet he's going to fall for Makino next year," Soujirou responded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?" Akira challenged.

"You bet your sorry ass I am," Soujirou accepted. They shook hands after a silent exchange between them and sat down at an empty table in the cafeteria.

"No use in betting over anything since it's not going to happen," Tsukasa scoffed. "I'd rather gouge out my eyes with a rubber spoon and eat my liver than even _consider_ falling for that weed. Hell, I don't even see why you two are always drooling over anything in a skirt. Women are pathetic."

Akira and Soujirou exchanged worried looks. "Tsukasa, my friend, you know you can tell me anything, right?" Akira asked, his face uncharacteristically serious.

Tsukasa's brow furrowed. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Tsukasa," Soujirou took over, "what he means is that it's kind of abnormal for a seventeen-year-old guy to _not_ be interested in dating women. Tell me, have you had any weird urges towards men? Do you find a male attractive?"

"W-what?" Tsukasa sputtered. "I'M NOT GAY, YOU DUMBASS!"

The student population once again stared at Tsukasa. Akira and Soujirou chuckled nervously at the many gazes directed towards their table and blushed in mortification on Tsukasa's behalf. Rui rubbed his temples and looked down at the table, willing himself not to look over at the F4's table to check if Shizuka was looking.

"Sit down, dummy. Everyone's staring," Akira hissed, glaring at Tsukasa.

Tsukasa glared back at him. "Good! That's what you get for instinating I was gay!"

"Baka, the word is 'insinuating'," Soujirou replied smartly.

"You understood what I meant!" Tsukasa said as he sat down, flipping off the few people that continued to stare at him and even had the audacity to whisper crap about him.

"You're in school for a reason; learn to speak correctly!" Akira grumbled. Tsukasa mumbled something incoherently before wincing as he took a bite out of his homemade onigiri.

"Don't tell me you're actually eating that _thing_ your sister made," Soujirou said disgustedly. "Ugh, it doesn't look or smell appetizing. This proves how strong your stomach is."

"_You_ try telling her that her cooking tastes like crap," Tsukasa muttered, shuddering as the onigiri slid down his throat. Tsubaki, his sister, definitely needed some cooking lessons but he wasn't going to tell that to her face. Not when she could definitely kick his sorry hide any time she wanted.

"No way! She'd skin us alive! You tell her; as her brother, it's your duty to tell her the truth all the time. Even if it's brutal and cruel."

"And have her wipe the floor with me again? No thank you!"

"Do it or she might try to feed us again!" Akira wailed.

The group shuddered collectively.

Tsukasa threw the rest of his practically inedible lunch out and sat down, yawning slightly. Before he could get too comfortable, the bell rang to signify the end of lunch. All of them, bar Rui, groaned. School sucked and it's not like they were learning material that they didn't already know. Well, the other three weren't learning material they didn't already know. Coming from prestigious family lines, their parents made sure they were advanced in their academics and while Tsukasa got a head start in his education, he wasn't able to continue the private tutoring sessions because of the downfall of Doumyouji Enterprises.

The rest of the school day passed painfully slow. Tsukasa glanced at the clock ever so often and tapped his pencil on the table. A few students nearby glared at him, to which he sneered in response, and muttered under their breath. When the last class of the day was over, Tsukasa practically ran out of the room. In his haste to get out of the building, Tsukasa accidentally knocked someone over. Tumbling to the floor himself, he cursed his luck.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, dumbass?" he hissed, gathering his books.

"Excuse me? _You're_ the one that crashed into _me_, you jerk!"

Tsukasa froze and looked up. Being helped up by the rest of the F4 was Makino Tsukushi, the leader of the group. She had long brown hair and bright brown eyes that were currently sparked with anger and agitation. Standing up, she brushed off her uniform. The hallways, that were usually crowded and loud during this time of day, were still and quiet. Everybody was watching the scene and whispering and pointing. Absentmindedly Tsukasa noted his friends looking at him worriedly. Well, one really couldn't tell with Rui unless one knew him for a long amount of time.

"Tch, if you hadn't taken up so much space in the hallway, this wouldn't have happened," Tsukasa replied, glaring at the now gaping girl.

"And what exactly are you implying?" she said through gritted teeth, her hands balled into fists.

"I thought it was obvious," Tsukasa said dryly. "But, since you're so slow, I'll repeat it for you. If you hadn't taken up so much space in the hallway, this wouldn—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as suddenly his head snapped to the side. Grabbing his stinging cheek, Tsukasa gaped at Makino who still had her hand raised.

"You pompous asshole! How dare you imply I take up so much space in the hallway? If you had actually watched where you were going, we wouldn't have crashed into each other! It's called common courtesy and I'll assume you were taught some manners! If not, then allow me to give you some advice. When you run into someone, it's polite to not only say sorry, but to offer to help them up," Makino said, glaring at Tsukasa. When he remained quiet for a few moments, she let out a small grunt and walked away, the rest of the F4 following her. The rest of the student body, as a whole, gave Tsukasa dirty looks and whispered even more. He ignored them all and caressed his stinging cheek.

"Tsukasa, are you okay?" Akira asked hesitantly.

Tsukasa turned towards his friends. "I can't believe that bitch slapped me!"

Rui shrugged. "You _did_ bump into her."

"I did not! She was taking up so much goddamn space in the hallway!"

"How would you know when you weren't paying attention?"

Tsukasa turned to Soujirou. "How do you know I wasn't paying attention?"

"I saw you, of course," was the reply. "I thought you'd do the gentlemanly thing and help Makino up after you ran her over, but I see I was wrong."

"Tsukasa, gentlemanly?" Akira said as he laughed, doubling over and slapping his knee.

"It was a momentary lapse of good judgment, I assure you," Soujirou replied dryly. He suddenly whooped and jumped up and down. "The way they reacted, I'll definitely win this bet!"

Akira slapped his forehead. "Damn you, Tsukasa!"

"I already told you, I won't fall for that weed!"

"Embrace your feelings for her!"

"I don't have any, damnit!"

Rui sighed and began to walk away, shaking his head. Soujirou quickly followed him, wincing as he heard flesh hit flesh and Akira's whine of pain.

"Shit, I'm going to be late for work!" Tsukasa exclaimed, cursing colorfully at the clock that hung on the wall.

"Relax; I'll give you a ride," Rui said quietly, eyeing Tsukasa from the corner of his eye.

"I can get there on my own," Tsukasa said stubbornly.

"Yes and arrive late again and have your pay docked."

Tsukasa let out a grunt and followed Rui to his limo, waving his farewell to Akira and Soujirou. Rui instructed the driver to bring Tsukasa's bicycle and put it inside the limo. The ride to Tsukasa's job was filled with a quiet, comfortable silence. He was able to make it a little earlier than he would have been able to even if he left school on time.

"Thanks, Rui," Tsukasa said quietly. Rui let out a tiny grin, knowing how rarely Tsukasa ever thanked anybody.

"Don't worry about it."

The limo left and Tsukasa quickly chained his bicycle to a pole before walking inside the restaurant he worked in. He hurriedly went to the back and put on the required uniform stored in his locker. When he came back out, his co-worker Kunisawa Amon waved at him. At first glance, one would think they were related but the truth was they only met each other when applying for a job. It was a little disconcerting and creepy to see someone looking just like you, but they eventually got over it.

"I'm surprised you're early," Amon said with a smirk. "Who was it that dropped you off? Was he your boyfriend? And what's with the bruise on your face?"

"Damn it all, why does everyone assume I'm fucking gay?! And this is from some bitch at school," Tsukasa replied grumpily.

"We assume you swing the other way since you show no interest in women. And, please, do elaborate on the bruise issue."

"This bitch bumped into me and had the nerve to blame it on me. When I told her she shouldn't have taken up so much space in the hallway, she fucking slapped me!"

"Did you watch where you were going?" Amon asked curiously with a cocked eyebrow.

"Of course I did!"

"Liar," Amon said, smirking. "So, was she hot?"

"Hell no!" Tsukasa hissed. "She's uglier than a pitbull."

Amon grimaced. "Tell me she's not named after something beautiful."

"No; she's named after a weed. Her name's Makino Tsukushi."

Amon choked on air. "Are you serious? Makino Tsukushi is the one you bumped into? And what do you mean she's uglier than a pitbull? She's like a goddess." Amon's eyes clouded up and a small, goofy smile grew on his face.

"No!! This can't possibly be happening!" Tsukasa yelled as he covered his ears. "Don't tell me you actually like her!"

"You have to get her to come here!" Amon said, gripping at Tsukasa's shoulders and shaking him a little.

"No way! Get the hell off of me before I knock you out!"

Tsukasa regretted bringing up the subject. Whenever they had a break, all Amon would do was go on and on about how great Makino was and how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to attend the same school. Tsukasa was crying on the inside.

'_Why me?'_

A/N: This is my first Hana Yori Dango story. I decided not to write any fanfiction for this anime/manga until I finished it and, ta-da, I read the entire manga! I'm sure there are probably a lot of stories like this, but the only Hana Yori Dango story I read (ever) was _Boys Over the High Seas?_ If you haven't read it, I seriously recommend it! It's completed and absolutely great!

This is the only chapter I have written and I'm not too sure if I should bother continuing with this story. I'm going to try to follow the storyline of the manga, but with my own twist. I'm trying to keep the characters as in character as possible, so let me know how I do. If you don't know, I normally write slash (male/male) and this is definitely different from what I usually write. Feedback would be great. Let me know if this is worth continuing. Future chapters will most definitely be longer. At the present time, I have no beta so please let me know of any mistakes you come across while I look for one. Thank you!

**Updates will be weekly to bi-weekly.**


	2. Chapter Two: The Red Tag

**Summary**: The roles in the Hana Yori Dango universe are switched. When Tsukasa was four, the Doumyouji family's fortune was lost. Now, his family's in the middle class and he goes to Eitoku. Tsukasa despises rich people and he despises the F4, a group of four girls who want to help the poor. What happens when he, Rui, Akira, and Soujirou become friends with them? Will his mother still get in the way of his relationship with Tsukushi? Will the secrets both of their families are hiding rip their blossoming relationship apart?

**Warnings**: AU, Language, etc.

**Disclaimer**: The Hana Yori Dango universe belongs to Yoko Kamio. No copyright/trademark infringement is intended and no profit is being made from the writing of this story.

Hana Yori Dango: Reversed Roles  
By Rokudaime Kunoichi

Chapter Two - The Red Tag

Tsukasa sighed tiredly as he carried his bicycle up the stairs to the apartment he lived in. He frowned when he smelt something burning. Tsubaki was probably attempting to cook again and failing miserably. Leaving his bike next to the door, Tsukasa opened the door and walked into the living room. Tossing his backpack on the ground, he made his way to the kitchen. His eyes bugged out when he saw the small fire on the stove. Tsubaki was currently waving her handkerchief around, trying to put it out and only sending smoke everywhere. Soon enough, the smoke detector went off. Tsukasa ran towards the cabinet under the sink and grabbed the fire extinguisher.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, TSUBAKI?!" he screamed as he put out the fire, glaring at his older sister.

She glared back at him. "I was _trying_ to make dinner, you ungrateful bastard!"

"You know I eat at work before coming home!"

Tsubaki opened her mouth, armed with a comeback, when the words died in her throat. She walked over to Tsukasa and grabbed his chin, tilting his head to the side. "How'd you get this bruise?" she asked, inspecting it.

"School," Tsukasa grumbled.

"Looks like a handprint." Tsubaki smirked. "Did you offend anyone?"

"I don't see how telling the truth would offend anyone," Tsukasa shot back, putting the fire extinguisher on the floor and taking his face out of Tsubaki's hands.

"Hey Tsukasa? Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned; remember that."

Tsukasa scowled. "What makes you think this has anything to do with women?"

"You can't hide from me; the bruise on your cheek is a handprint and a small one at that. Besides, Soujirou told me," Tsubaki replied smugly. "I knew you were dense, Tsukasa, but I never thought you'd actually do something so stupid. Wait, let me correct myself. I thought your sense of self-preservation was higher than that. There, that sounds more appropriate."

"I'll kill him," Tsukasa grumbled, picturing many ways he could off Soujirou. "And what does my sense of self-preservation have anything to do with this? Makino's just a girl; it's not like she'll be able to do some major damage."

Tsukasa turned to walk away when Tsubaki grabbed his arm. "On a serious note, Tsukasa, be careful. Makino may seem like just a girl, but she's a powerful one at that. Now, I don't know her personally nor have I ever seen her in person so I can't make an accurate judge of character, but just steer clear of her. You're an annoying little shit, but you're still my brother and I'll be damned if you do something stupid to fuck up your life…well, I won't let you do something to fuck up your life _too_ much. Now, go get your homework done if you haven't already."

Tsukasa watched as Tsubaki started to put burnt pots in the sink. She cursed colorfully as she burnt her finger and ran it over cold water. He sighed and shook his head before walking over to her. She looked up at him—her being at least a head shorter than he was despite their age—and cocked an eyebrow. Tsukasa said nothing as he reached into the fridge and grabbed the butter. He took her finger and stuck it in the middle of the tub.

"Tsukasa…why the hell did you do that for?" Tsubaki asked, blinking incredulously. She was worried that his level of stupidity went up a couple of notches.

"At work, there's this lady that cleans the dishes and when one of the cook's burnt their hand, she put butter on it," Tsukasa replied, grinning widely.

"That's great, but why'd you stick my entire finger in the butter? I just touched some of the burnt pots and the gunk in them."

Tsukasa blinked and frowned. "Well, damn."

Tsubaki rolled her eyes and took her finger out. "Go do your homework before okaa-san gets home," she said softly. Her eyes shone with gratitude and Tsukasa nodded as he left for his room. Tsubaki sighed as she smiled gently at her buttered finger. She knew her mother's cold indifference towards both her and Tsukasa made it hard for him to express his emotions and was happy that he had at least shown some worry. Her smile quickly turned upside down.

Tsubaki couldn't help but worry about what would happen when Tsukasa was at Eitoku Gakuen. She knew he could handle his own, but she was worried that he'd probably say or do the wrong thing to the wrong person, namely the F4. She bit her lip at the thought of their mother finding out about Tsukasa's run-in with Makino. Doumyouji Kaede would, undoubtedly, spew nothing but nasty and degrading things about the Makinos. Not that Tsubaki would blame her, after what had happened, but it surely wasn't the eldest girl's fault.

Tsubaki wouldn't be surprised if the Makino heiress had no idea about her family's history. She was only a year younger than Tsukasa at the time of the incident. Sighing heavily, Tsubaki hurriedly cleaned up the big mess in the kitchen and ordered pizza. Tired and sore, she walked up the stairs and made her way to her room. Tsubaki paused before Tsukasa's room and peaked through the crack. Tsukasa was hunched over his desk, the lamp turned on and books opened. He made a few notes here and there, scratching his head and grumbling under his breath. Tsubaki smiled gently before walking down the hall and into her room.

Tsukasa smiled when he heard his sister leave. He giggled in a conspiring manner. His lips widened into a goofy smile as he finished the sketch of Makino Tsukushi. In the childish sketch, Makino was a hideously fat chibi with a unibrow and a beastly face. Tsukasa laughed as he drew himself tall, muscular, and incredibly handsome next to her. The sketched version of Tsukasa smirked as Makino fell to her knees, begging, "Oh mighty Doumyouji Tsukasa, please accept me! You're so popular and you're so handsome; somebody as insignificant as me doesn't deserve to be in your very presence!"

He cackled evilly at the image of the all-powerful Makino Tsukushi wanting to be accepted by the incredibly handsome, yet fallen-from-grace, Doumyouji. He scribbled a couple more comic strips, all of them with the same concept of a destitute Makino begging him. When the front door slammed open and shut, Tsukasa's mood darkened considerably. He wasn't happy when he was sketching the ridiculous scenarios between him and Makino, but he was calm and carefree. Now that his mother was home, however, all of that went out the window.

Ever since he was little, his mother rarely cared or looked after him. She passed him off to a nanny, and after they fell from the prestigious part of the social pyramid, he was soon passed off to his older sister. A younger Tsukasa always hoped and prayed that one day his mother would be kind and caring to him like other mothers were to their children. Maybe even take him to the park, gently mend a scrape he would've gained from running around, or even buy him cold treats. He was even naïve enough to think that after the Doumyouji was no more influential over the corporate ladder, his mother wouldn't care so much about the business and actually pay attention to him. Instead, though, his mother focused on business even more than before. The tragedy that was supposed to bring them together, in Tsukasa's young mind, actually tore them apart even further.

He hated his mother for that.

Hearing his mother's approaching footsteps, Tsukasa immediately put away the sketches and flipped through his textbook. His mother paused at his door, probably to ensure that he was actually doing something productive, before leaving to her room. Tsukasa frowned; his mother always had hopes of restoring the Doumyouji family name. He knew full well that she'd do anything to get back the life she once had. Anything.

"You're home early," he heard Tsubaki say.

"Pizza for dinner?" Kaede said disdainfully, scowl evident in her voice.

"Forgive me if I am not knowledgeable in the culinary field," Tsubaki retorted, her voice bitter and angry. "Last time I checked, _**you**_ were the one that forbade me from cooking."

"Cooking is a middle-class trend and far below the Doumyouji standards," Kaede replied coldly.

"Gee, and I wonder what class we belong in. Certainly not the upper class and certainly not the lower. That would make us…why, that'll make us a middle-class family!"

Tsukasa had to stifle the malicious chuckle at his sister's sarcastic humor.

"Don't you dare speak to me in that way!" Kaede spat, glaring furiously at her eldest child. "Especially not after all that I've done for you!"

"Oh, I dare. You've done nothing for me so don't try to pull that card!" Tsubaki glared just as fiercely as her mother. "I recall being raised by nurses and nannies, not you. As a matter of fact, both Tsukasa and I were left to our own devices while you sulked about becoming a part of the lower class!"

A sharp slap and a thud on the floor had Tsukasa bursting out of his room. Tsubaki smirked at her mother from her new place on the floor, holding her stinging red cheek.

"What the fuck did you do?" Tsukasa demanded, clenching his fists as his mother ignored him. "Answer me!"

"Watch your tone, Tsukasa," Kaede sneered.

"You little—"

"No, Tsukasa, don't!" Tsubaki exclaimed, quickly righting herself and holding onto his arm to prevent him from stalking over to their mother. "She's just upset because I struck a nerve. Guess the truth hurts."

For a while, everything was silent. "You both are a disappointment to this family," Kaede said, her voice cold though her eyes flickered briefly with a tiny bit of emotion. Tsukasa and Tsubaki said and did nothing, though Tsukasa desperately wanted to hit something, preferably his mother, as she disappeared into her own room.

"You should eat something," Tsubaki said softly as she turned around and walked towards the bathroom.

"What about you?" Tsukasa replied, his eyebrow cocked.

"I'm not hungry, but thanks." Tsubaki smiled at him as went into the bathroom and locked the door.

Tsukasa knew she would be awake and cry for a good hour tonight. With an inaudible sigh, Tsukasa also turned in for the night. Anger bubbled within him; he hated how his mother, loathed and disgusted he felt that she was related to him, always looked down upon both him and Tsubaki. Personally, he didn't give two shits of a rat's ass if his mother approved of him or not. However, Tsubaki, though she would never admit it, still faintly hoped that their mother would change her cold and materialistic ways. Tsukasa had long since let go of that stupid, childish hope.

Annoyed, Tsukasa briefly glanced at the textbook that was still open on his bed. He didn't even want to attempt deciphering all of those stupid math problems. How on earth was he supposed to use algebra in the real world? He knew how to add and subtract, calculate percents, and other such mathematics that could actually be applied outside of the classroom. Really, what else did he need? Slamming his book shut, Tsukasa almost angrily changed his clothes and jumped into his bed. He took deep breaths to calm himself, squeezing his eyes shut when he heard Tsubaki's muffled cries from the bathroom next door. A part of him wanted to go to the bathroom and comfort Tsubaki, but he knew he wouldn't. Not only would Tsubaki refuse his help and go on the defensive, he also had no idea how to comfort a crying girl and didn't want to put either of them in that awkward situation. His last thought before his eyes drifted close was a silent promise to himself to somehow find a way to make it up to Tsubaki. Maybe she wouldn't really mind it if Kaede _accidentally_ ended up in a hospital.

The next morning, Tsukasa woke up fifteen minutes late. He let out a string of colorful curses before getting out of bed and into the shower. The warm spray caused him to completely relax under it; he was still tired and just barely managed to prevent himself from falling asleep and collapsing down entirely. Soon enough, his shower was over and he quickly dressed. Tsubaki was still asleep as it was only seven-thirty and he knew Kaede always left the apartment at six-fifteen. Tsukasa quickly got to work fixing his apology for Tsubaki, as was ritual for as long as they could remember.

When Tsukasa left the apartment, pressed for time and attempting to close his backpack shut, he smiled with relief as he noticed Rui's limo parked in front. Gratefully, he climbed in and breathed hard, trying to catch his breath.

"I thought I was going to have to ride my bike all the way to school again," he said, offering Rui a rare, small grin. _Thanks_.

"You still would've been late, undoubtedly," Rui replied in his monotone as he stared out of the window and up at the clouds. _You're welcome._

In a trip that took no more than ten minutes, though it would've taken at least twenty for Tsukasa if he had rode his bike, the pair arrived at Eitoku Gakuen and met up with Akira and Soujirou.

"Late again, Doumyouji?" Soujirou teased, grinning wickedly.

"One must wonder what you were doing. Perhaps, since you were unable to find the company of a female, you've decided to join with a man? Or your hand, maybe?" Akira said, cackling evilly before ducking Tsukasa's angry lunge.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Tsukasa shrieked, his cheeks stained red. "AND FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M NOT GAY!"

The student populace glared at him, sniffing their noses in disdain. They obviously hadn't forgiven Tsukasa for what he had done to Makino Tsukushi the other day, not like he really cared. He flipped them off all the same, ignoring their muttering of his uncouth middle-class upbringing, and made his way to his locker. When he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise and his mouth hung open. Time seemed to stop and everybody had frozen before they came to their senses and began to shout angrily.

There, in Tsukasa's locker, hung a seemingly insignificant piece of paper. Everyone at Eitoku Gakuen knew, however, that that was not the case. Tsukasa swallowed hard, his blood cold as he stared at that paper and uttered three simple words that held so much meaning.

"The red card."

A/N: I know I haven't updated in forever, but I've recently been in and out of the hospital due to severe acute allergic reactions. I still don't know what I'm allergic to, thought I will be finding out shortly. I also have to update my story _Always_, which I have NOT abandoned, and after I've finished both that story and this one, I think I may take a short break from fanfiction to get my health back up. Reviews are welcome, as always.

Also, I hope I kept them in character enough. I'll explain the new significance of the red card (or tag, depending on if you watch the drama (Taiwanese or Japanese) or if you read the manga) in the following chapter that will definitely not take so long to update.


	3. Chapter Three: This Means War!

**Summary**: The roles in the Hana Yori Dango universe are switched. When Tsukasa was four, the Doumyouji family's fortune was lost. Now, his family's in the middle class and he goes to Eitoku. Tsukasa despises rich people and he despises the F4, a group of four girls who want to help the poor. What happens when he, Rui, Akira, and Soujirou become friends with them? Will his mother still get in the way of his relationship with Tsukushi? Will the secrets both of their families are hiding rip their blossoming relationship apart?

**Warnings**: AU, Language, etc.

**Disclaimer**: The Hana Yori Dango universe belongs to Yoko Kamio. No copyright/trademark infringement is intended and no profit is being made from the writing of this story.

Hana Yori Dango: Reversed Roles  
by Rokudaime Kunoichi

Chapter Three – This Means War!

Tsukasa scowled and snatched the red tag out of his locker. He ripped it in half fiercely and growled before throwing it on the floor and spitting on it. The student population gasped, outraged. Immediately they yelled at Tsukasa and began throwing all sorts of garbage at him. The hot-tempered Doumyouji barely had enough time to block his face before a hard-boiled egg sailed towards him. He seethed at his helplessness, not really being able to do anything but just stand and let the garbage continue to be thrown at him. Tsukasa could hear his friends attempt to stop the crowd from continuing their assault, only for some of the masses to pelt garbage at them.

"What's going on here?"

At once, everything stopped. Tsukasa looked up and glared at Makino; it was all her damn fault. Her and the fucking F4.

"Makino, he tore up your beloved red tag!" one of the rich bitches exclaimed, glaring at Tsukasa.

He sneered as he heard the student body mutter degrading words under their breath. He flipped them off and held his ground, his stubborn side coming out. Despite him not wanting to be there, a Doumyouji does not run away. "Assholes," he muttered.

"What did you say, you filthy mutt?" a different student demanded. "Someone should teach you a less—"

"Enough!" Makino said loudly. "So what if he ripped it up?"

The crowd gasped. "But, Makino," the rich bitch stammered, "to receive your red tag is such an _honor_! For someone as unimportant and undeserving as him, he should be grateful to even _look_ at the red tag."

"And pelting him with garbage is going to make him change his mind?" Makino asked sarcastically. "I don't think so. I would never throw garbage at someone else. It's _rude_!"

The rich bitch hung her head, though her fists clenched slightly at her sides.

Tsukasa scoffed. "Yeah, right," he sneered. "You're the same as everyone else, though I admit you hide your true colors very well."

Makino looked at him in shock before glaring. "You're incorrigible!" she snapped. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I don't need your fucking help!" Tsukasa retorted, turning away from Makino and shaking his head to get rid of the garbage on top of it.

Makino gasped as some of the garbage landed on her. The student body hissed angrily in disapproval and some started to walk towards him threateningly, but Makino held them off with a raise of her hand. "A little garbage won't kill me," she assured. Then she glared at Tsukasa's back. "You know what? I don't think I've ever met a bigger stupid, insensitive, _ungrateful_ jerk than you!"

Tsukasa turned around to face Makino. "I never asked to be your stupid _charity_ case!" he sneered angrily. "Besides, it's your damn fault! If you could get it through your thick skull that I don't want shit to do with you, my life would be a hell of a lot easier!"

By the time Tsukasa was done screaming, Makino's face had gone from an angry red to her normal color. She regarded him coolly and Tsukasa, though he'd never admit it, felt more than a little nervous. "You're one of _those_ people, then," she said calmly. "Figured as much."

Tsukasa felt his eyebrow twitch. "One of what people?" he practically snarled.

Makino wagged her finger threateningly in his face. "I know about the downfall of Doumyouji Enterprises," she replied, "and just because it happened to your family doesn't make the rest of the world responsible for your problems! Just because you now have to work for your money doesn't make you any better or any lesser than anybody else! There are a lot of other families who have suffered financially, so stop being bitter and cold and blaming innocent people that have _nothing_ to do with your issues!"

Tsukasa gaped at Makino, shocked. His hands balled into fists and he glared furiously. He could hear the pleased whispers from the stupid morons surrounding them and that only added fuel to the fire. How dare Makino talk about his family and his problems as if she knew anything? That spoiled bitch had it easy—she never had to work for her things or needed to make as much money as possible to ensure the best care for her sickly father. She probably had everything he didn't—a functional family, a lot of money, everything handed to her on a platter; the list went on and on.

And, so fueled by his anger, Tsukasa blindly swung his hand, feeling both satisfied and horrified when he felt Makino's cheek beneath his palm.

Makino let out a startled yelp as she crashed to the floor, holding her cheek as she looked up at him in shock. A smirk danced across her face and Tsukasa was instantly reminded of Tsubaki after Kaede struck her. Disgust filled him as he realized he did what Kaede had done not even a full day previous. There was a harsh, tense silence. The only thing saving Tsukasa from being ripped apart by the currently outraged student body was Makino's slender hand commanding them to stand down.

"You dare hit a girl?" she said quietly, her smirk becoming more volatile as a strange glint entered her eyes. She ignored the F4's attempts to help her up and stood on her own, walking towards Tsukasa with slow purpose. "You _dare_?"

"I—" Tsukasa cut off, not quite knowing what to say.

Makino's smirk quickly turned into a snarl, her upper lip curled and revealing her perfectly white teeth. "YOU'RE SUCH A COWARD!" she shrieked, punching him squarely in the jaw. "HOW DARE YOU LAY A HAND ON ME, YOU BASTARD?"

"T-Tsukushi, calm down," Yuuki tried, placing a comforting hand on her best friend's arm and nervously looking at Tsukasa's new place on the floor. "You know how you get when you're worked up…"

"Filet the bastard!" Shigeru cheered, glaring at Tsukasa. "_Real_ men don't hit women. Period."

Before the crowd could get worked up, Tsukasa's friends went to his aide. "Now, see, Tsukasa here has a bit of a mouth and a temper," Akira said, pulling a dazed Tsukasa to his feet. "We're terribly sorry for his actions."

"THAT BITCH HIT ME AGAIN!" Tsukasa bellowed, snapping out of his dazed shock. He was quickly restrained by Akira and Soujirou. "LET GO OF ME!"

"Calm down," Soujirou hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't get Makino worked up again."

"DON'T CALL ME A BITCH, YOU ASSHOLE!" Makino screamed, easily held back by Shizuka and Yuuki. "I TRIED TO BE NICE TO YOU, BUT YOU WENT TOO FAR! THIS MEANS WAR!"

"Tsukushi, be reasonable!" Shizuka pleaded. "There hasn't been any reason to declare war on someone sin—"

"BRING IT ON, BITCH!" Tsukasa screamed back. "DON'T THINK I'LL GO EASY ON YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A GIRL!"

"YOU STUPID, ARROGANT WASTE OF SP—" Makino screeched back, but stopped suddenly when Yuuki's hand went over her mouth. She crossed her eyes to look at the intruding appendage and glared at it, angry muffled noises still escaping.

"Tsukushi, let's get you some ice cream," her best friend said softly, using one hand to rub Makino's arm soothingly while the other kept a firm grip on it.

"I don't want ice cream," Makino said angrily. "I want to ki—"

"Nonsense, Tsukushi," Shizuka cut in. "Come on, let's leave."

Shigeru rolled her eyes and followed the rest of the F4, throwing one last nasty glare at Tsukasa. Sniffing, she picked up a banana from someone's tray and tossed it in his direction. With lunch over, the rest of the student body sent hateful looks in his direction as they slowly filtered out of the lunch room and to their classes.

"What have you done?" Akira hissed angrily. "That was the only thing redeeming you from your actions yesterday and you just totally blew it."

"I don't need that bitch's charity," Tsukasa angrily retorted. He rubbed his sore jaw petulantly. "If I ever see her again, I'm gonna—"

"Apologize and accept her very generous red tag after taping it back up?" Soujirou finished hopefully. "Seriously, though, you just made Makino your enemy. By giving you the red tag, she was forgiving your atrocious attitude yesterday. Now, you're likely the number one target in this school. Do you remember what happened the last time someone recklessly rid themselves of the red tag in the same manner you did?"

Tsukasa did remember. Makino had brushed it off with a smile and acted like the situation had never happened, but the student body certainly hadn't forgotten. It was always a fight to receive a red tag between the students. Receiving a red tag from _the_ Makino Tsukushi was like being royalty for a day. Most often than not the students who were lucky enough to see the red tag in their locker spent their time sucking up to Makino, hoping she'd boost their reputation and, consequently, their family businesses.

The last person to receive the red tag and arrogantly tossed it in the trash, Kenji, hadn't lasted a week after that in the school. Makino hadn't cared, but the rest of the school had. Some students had taken it upon themselves to rough him up outside of school until he could no longer take it.

Tsukasa would be damned if that happened to him.

"I can take care of myself," he replied flippantly.

"And what if the student body goes after your father?" Rui asked quietly. "What if they have connections to the hospital and suddenly kick him out? What if they make the store Tsubaki works at suddenly fire her without reason?"

Tsukasa froze, the thought sinking in. He cursed and violently kicked a trash can. "I'll figure something out," he decided. "I'll…I'll do something."

"You'll hand Makino the red tag back politely—and publicly," Rui said disinterestedly with his hands in his pockets. "And hope that's enough to appease the people here."

"And if it isn't?" Tsukasa inquired, his fists clenched tightly.

"We'll back you up," came the solemn reply. "You're an idiot, but you're still our friend. If it comes to that, I can and will help you in every way possible."

Tsukasa glanced at Akira and Soujirou, who were also nodding seriously. His heart thudded faster at the thought of things going wrong, but he squared his shoulders and hardened his eyes. He would make sure his family would get through this no matter the consequences.

But what was he going to do about Makino and that declaration of war?

A/N: Yikes! It's been forever since I've updated this and it's shorter than the last two chapters, but this was rather difficult to write. I finally have a more solid idea on how I want the new meaning of the red tag to work out. Reviews are always welcome. Updates for this shall be sporadic.


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